Explosive-engine.



No. 640,674. I Patented Jan. 2, 1900..

a; w. LEWIS.- v

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. 7

(Application flied Fab. 1a, 1896. Benwed Sept. 22, 189B.)

(No Modgl.) v 3 Shaets8heet 1.

k Q 's Q F Q E q A k W a w w 4 fi w l g. 3 1

K) 77557666566 fir r No.,640,674. Patentgd Jan. 2, I900.

' e. w. LEWIS.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

(Application filed Feb. 13, 1896. Benwed Sept. 22, 189B.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(N0 Modgl.)

wz was V f No. 640,674. Patentd Jan. 2, 1900.

' a. w. LEWIS.

EXRLOSIVE ENGINE.

'(Application filed Feb. 13,. 1896. Renewed Sept. 22, 1898.)

' 3 Sheets$ heet 3.

(No Model.)

LMWWK 660 76 Vlamv's rm: mums PETER: 120.. PHOTQLITNO msnwmou, o. c.

NrrE STATES PATENT- GEORGE WV. LEWIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOTHE J: THOMPSON & SONS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN.

EXPLOSlVE-ENGINE.

SIPECIFICA'IION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,674, dated Jammy2, 1906.

Application filed February 13, 1896. Renewed September 22; 1898. SerialNo. 691,630. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. LEWIS, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Explosive-Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a partof this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in gas-engines of that classknown as the Otto cycle or those in which the explosion takes place ateverysccond or alternate revolution of the crank-shaft and wherein thewaste gases and products of combustion arising from the explosion of thecharge are expelled in the back or inward stroke of the piston aftereach power-stroke and a new supply of the explosive mixture or charge isdrawn into the cylinder in the on tstroke preceding the powerstroke.

The invention relates more particularly to devices for use in connectionwith two-cylinder engines for opening and holding open theexhaust-valves at the time of starting the engine, whereby the same maybe readily started by turning the crank-shaft by hand.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of an engineembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of saidengine. Fig. Sis an end elevation thereof with the cylinder and otheroperative parts in section. Fig. at is a detail section of the upper endof the cylinder, showing the ignition-tube. Fig. 5 is a detail sectiontaken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line 66 of Fig. 2.

As shown in said drawings, A A indicate the power-cylinders,which are inthis instance arranged vertically and side by side and attached to acommon frame or base-casting B, which is bolted to horizontalsupporting-bars B, which may represent the frame-bars of a vehicle. Saidbase-casting is provided with depending arms 13 B in which are formedbearings b b b for the crank-shaft C. Said shaft is provided with twocranks C O on the same side of the shaft and are arranged parallel witheach other.

The cylinders A are opened at their lower ends and closed at their upperends and contain pistons D D of hollow or trunk form, said pistons beingconnected with cranks C C by means of pitmen E, which are connected withthe pistons by means of transverse bearing? pins e, affixed in the wallsof the pistons and extending across to the hollow interior of the samein a familiar manner. With respect to their details of construction thetwo cylinders A A are alike, and in the following description of theparts immediately connected with the cylinders and their mode ofoperation one cylinder only will be referred to. Each'cylinder A isprovided with an inlet port or passage F and an exhaust port or passageG, (these being located in the head A of the cylinder,) an auxiliaryexhaust-port H, located.

in position to be uncovered by the piston when the latter reaches theouter limit of its movement'in its power-stroke, and a supplementalair-inlet port I, which in the instance shown is located in the pistonD. The inletport F is provided with an inwardly-opening valve F, havingthe form of a check-valve. Said valve is held usually in its closedposition by a spring F and is opened by atmospheric pressure actingagainst the tension of said spring to permit the inflow of air to thecylinder in the upstroke of the piston. An air pipe or passage J leadsto said inlet-port for the admission of air thereto.

The means shown for supplying gas or vapor to the cylinder for makingthe'explosive mixture consists of a supply-nozzle K, which enters thepipe J in the port F and is supplied with liquid'hydrocarbon by meansofthe supply-pipe K. The quantity of the liquid fed to the nozzle iscontrolled by a valve located in the casing 7cand operated by means of aand a stationary guide-bracket f, which is attached to the top of thecasing and provided with a guide-aperture for the rod. Attached to suchrod, below the bracket f, is a stop shoulder or collar f which operates,in connection with a sliding Wedge M, to variably limit the closing ofthe valve. An automatic governing device acts to move said wedge end-Wise, which governing device is made as follows:

N is a rock-shaft arranged at right angles to the axis of the cylinderand mounted on hearings in the frame-bars B B, and N is anupwardly-extending arm rigid with said shaft,

to which is attached the outer end of the wedge M. Said Wedge rests andslides on the casing F and is slotted or forked at its inner end, so asto extend on opposite sides of the stem, which thereby forms a guide forthe wedge to hold it from lateral displacement. The rock-shaft- N isprovided also with a rigid arm i arranged at right angles to the arm N,and said arm N engages a rigid arm 0, attached to a rocloshaft 0, Figs.1 and 2, which latter rock-shaft is arranged adjacent to andtransversely of the crank-shaft O. Said rock-shaft O has hearings inblocks 0, attached to horizontal arms 0, secured in one of theframe-bars B.

P P designate governor-Weights on the crank-shaft, to which are attachedbell-crank levers P, having arms parallel with the shaft to which theweights are attached and other arms transverse to the shaft, whichengage an endwise-sliding sleeve P on the crank-shaft. Said sleeve P isconnected with the rockshaft 0 by means of an arm 0 on the shaft, whichis forked at its end adjacent to the sleeve P and hasinwardly-projecting pins engaging a ring 12, which in turn is engagedwith a groove in said collar. Coiled springs 131) serve to yieldinglyhold the governor- Weights adjacent to the crank -shaft. The movement ofthe governor-Weights is transmitted through the connections described tothe sliding wedge M, which by being moved endwise serves as a movablestop to variably limit the opening of said valve.

The main exhaust-port is controlled by a valve G, which is held usuallyclosed by a spring G and is opened automatically at proper times bysuitable operative connections with the crank-shaft. Said valve isprovided with a stem G having at its outer end a collar 9, between whichand the opposing surface of the exhaust port or passage is located thespring G At the end of the cylinder adjacent to the crank-shat t O islocated a rock-shaft S, having a rigid arm S, which is connected bymeans of a connecting-rod T with. a lever T, which is pivoted centrallyto a bracket 25, secured to the head of the cylinder, and the free endof which acts upon the outer end of the valve-stem. Adjacent to andparallel with the crank-shaft O is located a counter-shat t U, whichcarries a gear-wheel U, which meshes with a gear-pinion U on thecrank-shaft, the gear pinion and Wheel being of such relative size thatthe Wheel will make one revolution during two revolutions of thecrank-shaft.

u is a cam mounted on the counter-shaft U, and the periphery of which isengaged by the end of a rigid arm 3 on the rock-shaft. Said cam isprovided at one side with a cam projection adapted to oscillate saidrock-shaft S, and thereby open the exhaust-valves once at everyrevolution of the cam.

The rock-shaft S, hereinhefore referred to, serves for one of thecylinders only, that being the one remote from the end of the shaft atwhich the actuating devices are located. Another rock-shaft S tubular inform and surrounding the shaft S, is employed to give motion to theexhaust-valve of the cylinder nearest said actuating devices. The end ofthe rock-shaft S adjacent to said actuating devices projects through thetubular shaft S and has upon it the rigid arm 8 referred to. Attached tothe roclcshaft S is a second crankarm 5, the free end of which isengaged by a second cam it, which is diametrically opposite to the camu. The tubular rock-shaft S is shown as having suitable bearing in aframepiece B nearest the actuating devices, while the same end of therock-shafts is supported and has engagement with the tubular rockshaftonly. At its opposite end said rockshaft 8 is engaged with a bearing onthe other frame-piece B, as shown in Fig. 1.

The means for opening and holding open the exhaust-valves and whichconstitutes the present invention are made as follows:

V is a rock-shaft arranged parallel with the rock-shaft S and below thearms S of said rock-shaft. Said rock-shaft V is provided with ahand-lever V, which moves along a stop-segment V having end notches o oand an intermediate notch c,which latter is adapted to engage thehand-lever at the middle point of its stroke. Attached to said rocloshaft V at points opposite the arms S S are two rigid actuating or camarms V V, of which the arm V has a segmental extension o the outer edgeof which is curved concentrically with the axis of the shaft. Saidcamarlns V V are adapted to act upon the leverarms S, so as to lift thesame, and thereby open the exhaust-valves when the rock-shaft isactuated through the medium of the handlever. Said cam-arms, however,are not arranged to operate at the same time, but are disposed inangularrelation to each other on the shaft, as shown in dotted lines inFig. 3 and in full lines in Figs. 5 and 6, and the angular relation ofthe arms is such that the arm V will act to open the exhaust-valve ofthe cylinder adjacent to itloefore the arm V reaches the crank-arias.Moreover,the parts are so arranged that the arm V will operate to fullyopen the exhaust-valve when the hand-lever has made a half stroke orreached vICC) the middle point of its movement, while a completion ofthe movement of the hand-lever and further movement of the rock-shaft isrequired for bringing the arm V into operation. The curved projection 42of the camarm V serves to maintain the valve which it operates openduring such further movement of the shaft as is required to bring thesecond arm V into operation. The purpose of this construction is toenable one only of the exhaust-valves to be opened, if desired, instarting the engine, it being obvious that if. the engine be started bythe use of one cylinder alone the necessary compression of the charge inthe second cylinder will be given by the power of the first cylinder. Itfollows that the engine may be easily started by turning the hand-leverthrough half of its stroke, and thereby opening the exhaust-valve of oneof the cylinders; but if it be desired to admit the explosive charge toboth cylinders at once in starting the engine then the full stroke maybe given to the hand-lever, in which case both exhaust-ports will beopened, with the result of relieving the pressure to a desired extent inthe cylinders, and thus enabling the crank-shaft to be turned by hand togive compression of the charges necessary for the initial explosion inboth of said cylinders.

The exhaust-port H is supplied with a valve H, attached to a valve-stemH which is provided with a collar h, between which and an opposingshoulder it, formed in the tubular sleeve or projection H is located acoiled expansion-spring 71 which tends to hold the valve against theseat. Said valve is located in the casing H to which is connected a pipeleading to a suitable point of delivery for the exhaust or waste gases.

The supplemental air-inlet passage is provided with a spring-actuatedcheck-Valve 1 adapted to open inwardly or toward the interior of thecylinder, so that in the outer movement of the piston if the maininlet-port F be not open suificiently to fill the cylinder with air asfast as required by the speed of the engine said check-valve will openand permit the inflow of an additional amount of air through the same.For this purpose the spring I of the said check-valve is made strongerthan the spring of the main inletvalve F, so that the latter will openbefore the pressure is great enough to open the checkvalve.

The igniting device herein shown consists of an ignition-tube Q, Fig. 4,which extends through the cylinder-head, is open at its inner end, andis closed at its outer end in the usual manner. The inner end of thistube, as shown in Fig. 4, is held normally closed by means of anoscillating valve-plate q, attached to a lever Q which is held by aspring q in position to retain the valve-plate q in contact with theinner end of the ignition-tube. Said lever Q is provided with aninwardly-projecting end adapted for contact with the piston, arranged insuch position that the lever will be actuated and the valve-plate movedto open the ignition-tube at the inner limit of the movement of thepiston.

A plate or partition R is arranged within the cylinder, adjacent to thehead thereof and parallel with the cylinder-head, in a manner to form apartial inclosure or chamber adjacent to the inlet-port and the innerend of the ignition-tube. Said partition serves to confine the explosivemixture which enters the inlet-port in the part of the cylinder adjacentI which is in this case extended to connect with the jacket A The saidchamber A forms in this construction a part of the air-supply passageleading to the inlet-port F, so that air drawn into the cylinder formaking the explosive mixture or charge is carried around or over theWall of the cylinder, and thus serves the purpose of the water-jacketheretofore commonly employed for maintaining a suitably-low temperaturein the cylinder.

The novel features of the valve mechanism and the'arrangement of theinlet and exhaust ports are not herein claimed, but are made the subjectof a separate application, which has been divided from the presentapplication and was executed by me on the 1st day of June, 1899.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with two engine-cylinders,and a single crank-shaft provided with two cranks standing at the sameside of the shaft, of exhaust-valves on both cylinders and means foroperating both of said exhaustvalves,comprisingahand-actuatedrock-shaft, having two actuating-arms disposed at different angularpositions, whereby one or both of said valves may be thrown out ofaction.

2. The combination with two engine-cylinders, and a crank-shaft havingtwo cranks arranged at the same .side of the shaft, of exhaustvalves onthe cylinders, two rock-shafts provided with rigid arms which areconnected with and actuate the exhaust-valves, and a hand-actuatedrock-shaft provided with two rigid arms arranged to act on the arms ofthe first rock-shafts, said arms on the hand-actuated rock-shaft beingarranged at different angles, whereby one or both of the valves may bethrown out of action.

3. The combination with two engine-cylinders, each provided with anexhaust-Valve, of means for opening and holding open the exhaust-valves,comprising a hand-actuated of two witnesses, this 4th "day of February,rock-shaft provided with two actuating-arms A. D. 1896. disposed atangular positiens and one which is provided with a, lateral extensionforming v 5 aurved bearing-surface. Witnesses: V

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as O. CLARENCE POOLE, myinvention I affix my signature, in presence WILLIAM L. HALL.

GEORGE XV. LEYVIS.

